Foster care: placement transition planning.

Assembly Member Elhawary's foster care reform legislation requires counties to develop comprehensive placement transition policies that prioritize input from foster children and their caregivers when changes in living arrangements become necessary. The bill mandates that county child welfare agencies adopt formal protocols for supporting youth who move between foster homes or reunite with their families, with an emphasis on minimizing trauma and maintaining important relationships during transitions.

Under the new requirements, social workers must obtain feedback from foster children about placement changes in an age-appropriate manner and incorporate input from current or recent caregivers into transition planning. The policies must address how to preserve educational stability, medical care continuity, cultural connections, and other developmental needs during moves. For Indian children not under tribal placement authority, counties must apply the prevailing social and cultural standards of the Indian community when developing transition plans.

The State Department of Social Services will issue guidance on best practices for successful placement transitions and review county policies, which must be submitted within one year of the department providing implementation funding. The legislation builds upon existing placement preservation requirements by establishing a more structured framework for managing necessary changes in foster care arrangements while centering the voices of affected children and families.